διασείω (diaseiō)
diaseiō
to extort
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb diaseiō describes an act of shaking someone violently until they tremble or are terrified. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 3:14, where John the Baptist instructs soldiers not to extort money from anyone by false accusations or intimidation. The word captures a physical and psychological force used to coerce others.
Its meaning comes from combining dia ("through" or "thoroughly") with seiō ("to shake"). This combination suggests a shaking that goes deep, leaving the target unable to resist. While some translations use "extort," the underlying image is one of terror-induced compliance rather than simple theft. The sources note its rare use in ancient Greek literature for intimidation, highlighting how John’s warning addresses abuse of power through fear.
This single occurrence underscores the seriousness of using authority to harm others. By choosing such a vivid term, Luke emphasizes that true repentance requires rejecting not just sin, but the methods used to enforce it. The word reminds readers that coercion violates the dignity of those being oppressed.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
John the Baptist uses a vivid image here. The word means to shake someone until they are terrified into giving you what you want. It is not just taking money; it is using fear as a weapon. When leaders or people in power use intimidation, they break the trust that holds communities together.
This reminds us that true change starts with how we treat others. We do not need to scare anyone to get our way. Peace comes when we respect the dignity of every person, even those who have less power than us. Let this encourage you to lead with kindness rather than force in your own life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- may extort1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- διασείσητε1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 3:14
Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
This verse shows John warning soldiers against using their authority to frighten people into paying more than they owe.